llflie



:aiutino firArns PArrnr @triplet :SAMUEL nomas Limia, or PnILADnLrIuA, PENNSYLVANIA y et/Ano nArine APPARATUS.

SPECEFKGATION forming'part of Letters Patent No. 422,235, dated February 25, 1890.

Application tiled December Z6, 1889. Serial No. 334,951. (No model.)

a citizen of the United States, residing at Phil- LIX adelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and crtate of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful improvementsin llvaporating Apparatus, ol which the following is a speciz fication. Y l i My invention relates to in traiisitfevaporating apparatus-namely,' apparatus in which the evaporation is effected from a liquid while flowing in comparatively thin films or sheets over the heated evaporal ing-snrfaees- It consists, as regards a sin gie pan or el feet7 of a battery of horizontal eyaporating tubes contained in an evaporating-chamber, which tubes are closed at their ends fronting ,one end of the chamber, and at their other vextremities connect wiihsteam-supply conduits, from which their interiors are supplied with steam. `Above the cvapoiatingtubesin the chamber is arranged a spraying or distributing device or devices, fed by suitable conduit with the liquid to be evaporated, and

by which the liquidV is distributed over the' surfaces of the evaporating-tubes, and then "iiows downward over the saine to the floor 4of the evaporating-chamber.

The tubes are provided with means for the escape of air or ineondcnsable gases'that may collect in them and tend to exclude the steam and so lessen the eilicieney of the apparatus, andthe evaporating-chamber is provided with. proper csv capes for the vapors resulting from the evaporation and for theconcentrated liquid.

In the drawings is shown in double effects apparatus illustrative of my invention, nre l being anend elevation of a double cflcet with the front end of the cvaporating chamber ol' one of the effects removed, so as to expose the closed ends of the evaporatingtubes to view. Fig. Q is a side View of the double effect, one of the pans being shown in vertical longitudinal scctionM/l'. c., a section parallel to the axes of the, evapora-tingtubes; Fig. 3a plan of the double effect, and Fig. l a View of a modified construction of portions of the apparatus.

Referring; to the `figures, s s, ttc., are a battery of horizontal tubes contained in a chamber E, having their ends toward one end R of the chamber tightly closed, save for a small perforation o,j in each looking toward the end R ofthe chamber. The other ends of the tubes open. through the opposite end l) and a valvcd pipe 7i, which 'leads through suitable connections tothe vacuunrpump used in connection with the apparatus.

The e\.'aporating-tubes are arranged in hori zontal rows, which breal; spaces with each other vertieally,and the two side walls have horizontal ribs e c dsc., which break spaces between the two side rows ofl the tubes and the said side walls. y

lhe liquid-distributing device above the tubes consists in the construction slown of a horizontal plate (i, located immediat-ely above the tube and pierced-by lines of perforationsd one directly over the axis of each tube ofthe uppermost row'. A Above this plate b are one or more perforated distributing-plates @,above and upon the uppermost one of which theresuitable condensing apparatus.

Below the lower row of evaporating-tubes the chamber E contains a corrugated false bottom n, which touches the hollow side wall above the narrow horizontal opening g andl extends slightly inclined downward to within a few inches of the opposite wall, theeorrugations extending in the same direction.

From below the false bottonrn and from the side of the chamber E opposite the Vaporoutlet y a discharge-conduit o leads through suitable connections to acirc'ulating-puinp P, whose discharge-pipe A,- which I will term the. return-pipe, delivers back into the space F above the upper perforated, plate a. In the double effect shown in the drawings and hereinafter described these connections ofthe discharge-pipe o of the first pan to the circulatinpump l are lthrough the second effect and IOO its connections, and those of the dischargeopening o of the second effect are .through i. the float-chamber T and the connecting-pipe l. A conducting-pipe N for the liquid Atobe evaporated delivers into the return-pipe A at a point t', and a pipe L for the thicken-ed liquid leaves the return-pipe at r-a point between where the feed-pipe N joins the returnpipe A and the circulating-purnp-and leads to 4the tail-pump I, which is provided for drawing. away the concentrated material.

' In' the drawings two pans, constructedA asL above described, are placed one `above the l other and connected so as to form a double elfect, the upper pan being the first elfect and the lower pan the second eifect. .Thevarious lparts*hereinbefore referred to are indicatedin Y theirst effect bythe letters stated and inthe'` second eifect by the same letters primed. The steam-case S ofthe lirstel'fect is supplied with steam from an extraneous source by the main B. The vapor-main H of .the lirst elfect leads into the steam-chamber Sof the second elfectJ and the vapor-main` H 'of the second effect' leads ltoa condenser and vacuum-pump, by

` which a proper vacuum is maintained in the evap'orating-chamber E ofthe secondeffect.

Theliquid-dischargepipe 0 of the first effect delivers through a-steam-trap (that'shown inV theV drawings consisting of a U-tube with a valveu' in it) -above and upon the distributingfpla'tes of the second effect. The discharge for liquid from the evaporating-chamber of thefsecond effect is by the opening o through the floor of' the latter into the "float-box T, from'which a connection Z leads to th` e 4suction-port of "the circulating-pumpy P; The

` j v liquorf to be returnedto both effects simul-A llo'at-boxv T contains a float having a stem the r end ofy which is keyed on the arbor lof a butplypipe'N, which stem extends through the side of thebox into the interior ofA the same,

terlly-val've o, located in therthin-liquor-sup- The rising and fallingof the lloat,.respectively,

c closes and'opeusthe butterfly-valve.' The re-V 45. turn-pipe Aint-he pump delivers iii-totheV feeding-spaceF of -the upper effect, and also llas-a yalved-branch connection A to the feed, 'space ofjthesecond effect,pernitting the taneously, if desired. The upperv effect is s'hown provided with a longitudinall opening through one of the side walls into the feedingspace F and closed by a plate cyby removing which the distributing-plates o b maybe gotten -at and removed from the casefor cleaning purposes.

i described vas' follows, it being first supposed I that theqair has been exhausted from the apyparatus by means of the'vacuum-pump and connections, and that steam is being continuouslysupplied to the steam-chamber-S of the.:

first` effect, and that the vacuum-pump and condenser are, at lwork maintaining the proper y vacuum'` in the case 'Ef of the last effect: ,The

. double elfect contains during norm al working "'abougysay,` fifty gallonspf liquid, which is1 "the -Valve p in the said pipe. i

fording original heat is fed to the steam-chamdouble elect maybe continuously circulated through the two effects bythe;circulating-pump P at a rate suffficient tokeep the surfaces of the tubesthoronghly' covered with films of liquid. The

`liquid passes through the circulating-pump 'by the return-pipe A up into the feeding-space F of the first ellfect, falls through the perforated plates, evenly distributed upon the plate b, below through whose longitudinal lilies of perforations it flows upon the upper surface of each of the tubes of the uppermostrow, and thence flows down` over the attery of tubes from tube, to tube to the yfloor of the evaporating-chainber,'whence itpasses through the pipe' o and trap upony the distributing feed-plates of thesecond effect, .and thence upon and down over Athe exterior' surfaces ofthe tubes of the second effect onto vthe floor of the-evaporating-chamber of the same, and thence through thelloat-chainber -T to the circulating-pump'again.r SThe tubes in eachvertical row serve as deilecting-surfaces for the liquid which falls from the tadjacent vertical rows, throwing ythe liquid vwhich does not adherevto' and wet themselves back onto the tubes of the adjacent rows, and" the ribs e on the side walls of. the evaporatin g- 'cases serve to throwback upon the tubes the liquid which would otherwise leave them and run-down thesurfaces vofthe walls The thin liquid which isto be thickened :is continuously fed bythe feed-pipe N into the returl1- `pipe A-andI mixes with andthins the ascending liquid, which, lin flowing down over the evaporating-tubes in the two eifects, is thickened again'.l The .concentratedcirculating liquid is constantly being drawn off through thedischarge-pipe L at a rate regulated by The steam afber S of the first effect, and thence flows into the tubes ofthe same. The vapors resulting from evaporat'ng in the first e'lfect escape from its evaporating-charnber into thevaporthe second effect, and thence into the tubes 'of the latter.v `During its passage through the `catch-al1 all particles of suspended liquid through the double elfect-is effected entirely byaneansof the valve p lin the discharge-pipe' L, the' inflow of thin 'liquid by the feed-pipe `N beirg I naintaine'd proportional to the outflow through thedischarge-pipe L by the au tomaticaction of the level of the-liquid inv the iloat-chaniber, and the float and the but- ICO I Aifo passage f at one side, and thence through a.v i 'catch-all C, and` pass from the latter by the vapor-pipe H- into the steam-chamber Stof .are separatedfroni the vapor and remain in terfly-valve in the feed-pipe N, operated by the same. iOpening the valve inv the dis` charge-pipe L permits the more rapid iiow of the liquid through the apparatus, and consequently diminishes the density of the finished product. Closing the valve lessen's the flovi1 of liquid through the double effect and Yincreases the density of the .finished product.

The rate of evaporation in the double effect ,is-varied by increasing'or diminishing the pressure of steam in the chamber S of the first effect, supposing the vacuum to remain constant. "While in operation steam oryapor `is constantly flowing into and beingr con-A l ss densed'on the interiorsurfaces of the tubes,

While ,evaporation of the liquid takes place Any airI from the exteriors of the tubes. whichinay leali into theeffects, ivhich must beexpected to' occur toa greater or less extent in all vacuum evaporating apparatus,

Vvwill collect in the tubes at their closed ends,

and if not allowed to escape, or if not occasionally exhausted, would in time materially diminish theefficiency of the apparatus. To permit this esca-pe of air, the closed end of cach tube has a perforation. c through it, by which the air which reaches the ends of the tubes continuously passes into the surrounding evaporating-chamber, and thence through the intermediate connections tothe vacuumpump,

In the case of the tubes of thc first cffc'ct .lof a multiple-effect evaporating apparatus the tubes and evaporating-chambers of the pans between it and the vacuum-pump respectively form parts of the said intermediate connections. in this mannerV the danger of` stagnant air and incondensable gases, which is` met and has to be overcome in eve-ry form of multiple-effect apparatus, is easily and entirelyavoided and-the entire surface of each evaporating-tube made efficient. The corrugated false bottom .n in'each eifect assists in separating the thickened' liquid and the 'vapers resulting from evaporation, iirst, by deliveringthe liquid as far as possible away from the vapor-outlets g, and,second, by collecting the liquid into the depressions of the' corrugations,-from which it iiows in streams upon the floorroffthe 'chamber-.Eleaving free Y waterof condensation resulting .during thel intermediate spaces,.through which the vapors may flow backunder the'plate toward the vapor-outlet g.

,I 'omittedto state in the preceding that the working of the apparatus iiows from the evaporating-tubes s back into the chamber S, and thence away by the drain-pipe m.

f There are many modifications which may be made in the construction of this apparatus` Without departing from Ythe essence of my invention. For example, Ido not limit 'myself 'to any particnlar meansfor drawing off4` the air and non-condensable gaseous products of evaporation from the sealed evaporating-V tubes s. One Way is by means of the simple perforations c. (Shown. in Figs-1 and 2.) Another way is illustrated in Fig. 4, which shows shownin thc drawings.

the sealed ends of thejvertical rows of'tubes',

each communicating by a' small pipe-connection l with avertical manifold pipe 2, which communicates through pipe 3 nections with exhausting1 apparatus. (Not shown in figure.) specifically claimed in pending application, No. 209,218, filed February S, 1889. Again, Vthe tubes may be entirely closed at their Yends-4, c., Without openings there of any kindthe accumulated air being exhausted from the tubes Vand the chamber S through fthe exhaust-pipes 7i as oft-en as may be found desirable,the evaporation being stopped each time to allow of its Abeing done. In supplying the steam to the tubes s a different construction may also be used. For "example, ,the steam-chamber S, common to the tubesof van effect, may be replaced by a systein f steam-supply manifolds having connecting `and its con- This latter construction is branches to theinteriors'of the several tubes.

case of the 'multiple eiiect shown in United 'Y States Patent No. 378,843, issued to me February 2S, 1888;.01 to form a multiple effect IOO which/isa multiple of two a number of dou- 4 ble effeetsesuch as shownin the drawingsequal to that multiple maybe placed side by side .with a vapor-main H of each double effect (excepting thc last, Whose vapor-main Hf 4would lead to the condenser. and vacuumpump ofthe system) with the steam-chamber S of the next double-effect land itsliquid-discharge pipe L-with the-fecdpipe N of the next, the feed-pipe N of the first pair being 'fthe origina-l feed-pipe of the series, and they 5 discharge-pipe L of the last pair being the final Vdischarge-pipe for `the thickened.,, ma-

Y f Y'1x5 terial.V -f p i y -In 'constructing individual effects the plate l), forming thecover of the steam-cases, is hung by hinges for convenience in opening. NVhen closed, this door is caused to make -airtight bearings against the flanges of the steam-case by Vany of the methods usually I2C) i employed for thev purpose in sinjii-lar construe-4 tions. i, f p

Y' -When practicable, thechamber E is cast 'in one piece, the perforated plates a b being supported in position on ledges formed on the interiors ofthe Walls of the chamber at Y the proper places. "lhe plate G forms atonce one end of the chamber E and also the tubeplate, and with it the side Walls of the steamchamber S are formed in A feature of jthis one piece, all as constructioi'i is that the tube-sheet and the sealed evaporating-tubes form adistinet and separable element of the construction, and

may be removed from and replaced in position at will after loosening the fastening's which hold it in place.

the end of the body E of the pan, simply covering and closing an opening in the end wall, through which the battery of tubes supported in the tube-plate project into'the interior. Y "I I n a pending application, Serial No. 299,218, vfiled February 8,1889, I have shown, described, and claimed an apparatus similarA to the i above, but provided with facilities for cleaning or permitting the cleaning of the exterior surfaces of the evaporating-tubes s, and. in

pending application, Serial No. 27f8, 05 5,-ffiled June 23, 1888, I have shown other Aconstructions of multiple effect in transit evaporating apparatus, in whichthe evaporating-tubes are` heated from the ,interion'and in which Vthe liquid to be evaporated Hows downward over the exterior surfaces ofthe same, and I claim` l Atherein the combination of vtwo or more such effects with circulating-pum ps to form a multiple effect, and also'means for regulating the flow of liquid through thc effects. I give notice of above-mentioned applications'in order "that nothing contained in the foregoing speciiicationrnay serve asa dedication to the public of the matters claimed in the said Aapplications. I f Thus having described my invention, I claim as'mine and 'desire to secure to myself I 'by Letters Patent ofthe United States 1. In au evaporating-pan, the combination of a4 battery of horizontal evaporating-tubes,

A each closed at one end and contained in a cham- I 4 berclosed practically air-tight, and connected at their other ends with a supply conduit or conduits for steam or other condensable heating agents, means above the tubes for. distrib- `uting the liquid to be evaporated in thi-n films over the exterior surfaces of the/tubes, means for continuously removing from the .saidevaporating-tubes closed at one end'the incond'ensable gases which may iiow into the same with the condensable heating agents, andfvapor andliquid escape conduits leading stantially as specified.

2. Inan evaporating-pan, the combination ofA an evaporating-chamber constructed practically air-tighubutavith vapor and liquid escape conduits leading from the'saine, substantially as described, a steam-chamber at one end of the evaporating-ehamber, a battery ofhorizontal evaporatingf-tubes contained in the I evaporating-chamber,each opening at one end intothe steam-chamber and having theother end closed,`acon'duit for 'supplying steam or other condensableheating agentsto the steamchamber, means above the tubes yfor distributing theliq'uidgto beevaporated over the exterior surfaces of [the samein thin ilms, and means for-continuously removlng from: the

Asaid steam-chamber and evaporating-tubes In larger apparatus, the tube-plate might form but a portionof latter, substantially as specified.

from the chamber containing the tubes,'sub^ closed at one end the incondensablel gases which may flow' into the same with the condensable heating agent, 'substantially as specified. 3. In an evaporating-pan constructed andl ,operated substantially as described, the evaporating-ltubes, each closed at one end andsupplied with steam at the other end, an'dlhavin'g 75 perforations through the wall of 'each tube at or near'the closedend of V the'same, the said perforations forming communication between the interiors of the tubes andthe surrounding `chamber, and permitting. the 'escape of in 8o lcondensable gases from the former into the j 4. In a multiple eiect evaporating apparatus, the combination of'two consecutive pans ofthe same, each comprising anhevaporatingchamber anda battery of-' steam-fed evapof rating-tubes ,contained therein, with meansV for delivering the liquid to be evaporated upon the exterior surfaces of `the tubes, means whereby the interiors of the evaporating-tubes 9o i of the first pan areconnectedlwith an evaporating-chamber inrwhich they'are contained, a vapor-conduit and connections leading from the said evaporating-ehamber ofl theiirst pan 'l to the interiors of the evaporating-tubes of ,95; the second pan, and connections leading from the-interiors of the evaporating-tubes'of the y second pan to suitable exhausting apparatus the combination affording means' for conducting air and incondensable gases which mayroo collect in the tubes of the first pan -awayfrom the same to the exhausting apparatus, substantially as specified. y

5. In an evaporator operated substantially as described, the combinationl ofa steamy chamber, horizontal evaporating-tubes closed 'as described, thecombin'a't-ion of a battery of A horizontal v'steam-fed evaporating-tu-bes, their containing-chamber, means above the batt-ery of tubes for distributing the liquid Ato be evaporated over their exterior surfacesa vapor- 12e escape conduitopening from the tube-'containing chamberbelow the battery'of tubes, and af Vliquid-escape opening from'thechambernear the bottom of the same', substantiallyas speci- '7.'Ina tube-containing.chamberof an evaps orator constructed and operated substantially 1 as describedand 'havin g afvapor-escape conduit leading aw'ay' near the bottom thereof,l

the partial .falsebottomfnQ .located below the -13oA battery of .evap'oratingltubesand 'extending Athe 'lengthfof -thegsame and' touching along One of its edges the Wall'through'which' the f vapor-escape conduit opens along a iine'above '.SfI'DSI vevaporatorlconstrnoted and `operatedsnbst antiavllyiasj dgescribedland having a vaporescape cohdtleadingiout near the bottom thereof,

opening of the latter and extending nearly to ythe opposite ivall, substan tially as specithetube-eontaining chamber of an corrugated partiabfalse bottom n, located v belowthe batteryof evaporating-tubes inthe .evaporating chamber and' .extendingI the -lA lengthof the same and touching along oneof ts'edges the wall of the evaporatingcham- 'berg' through which the vapor-escapeonduit. p opens at a level above the openingof thelat# ter-rand extendlingnearly tothe opposite Wall,- the corrugations of the false bottom :having the direction transverse tp the lengthof' thethegevaporating'-tubes, andnv -a vapor-escape.`

conduitithrough: nfe 0i, itSvrtiGal Wall be- 16W vthey feed-chamber'and leading -fr'o'm the y `evaporatingehanrbergsubstantiallyas speci'- rss., ,l Y K A4tion ofa horizontal evaporating-chamber containing a battery of horizontal steam-fed tubes,afeedchamber above the evaporatingchamber, a horizontal distributingfplate b,.

separating the fecdfchamber from the evap-l oratinghchamber, distributing-plates a in the lfeed-chamber above the distributingplate va conduit for thev liquid to be evaporated. opening into the feed-chamber above'the up.-

ber, substantially as specified.

11. In anevaporating-pan, the combination of afchainber containing a `battery of horizontal zevaporating-tu,b es,`hg; rizontal perforated distributing-plates supportedabove the tubes on ledges formed `on the Walls of the chamber, means for delivering the liquidv to be evaporated upon the distributing-plates,

-and a'rremovable plate closing arifopening into the chamberabove the tubes, through per distributing-plate a, 'and-a vapor-escape v n.. conduit leading from the e'vapo'ratiing-chan;-.y

vWhich the distributing-plates may be removed or inspected, substantially as specied.

12. In an evaporating-pan, the combinatio'n,V with a horizontal evaporating-chamber, of a removable tube-plate closing one end of the chamber and held in place by suitable fastenin gs between it and the Walls of the latter, a steam-fed vchamber supported upon the outer surface of the tube-plate independently of the fastenin'gs between thelatterand the walls of the evaporating-chamber, and a batteryof horizontal evaporating-tubes extend `ing from the steamy-chamber through (and -irmly supported in) the tube-plate into the evaporatingchamber and having their ends Aiinthetlatter elosed, the tube-plate steamv Chamberland evaporating-tubes forming togethe'r'an independent con'structioh, separable as an entiretyfrom the horizontal evaporatn ing-chamber after loosening the fastenings betweonthe Wallsof the latter and the tube-` plate, substantially as specified,

s. MQRRISVLILLIE. Witnesses: Y- MORRIS R. BocKIUs,

'.T; HURFF. 

